Wall-type knife sharpener



May 15, 1962 A. .1. MCMASTER 3,034,264

' WALL-TYPE KNIFE SHARPENER Filed March 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

May 1962 A. J. MCMASTER 3,034,264

WALL-TYPE KNIFE SHARPENER Filed March 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Shea; 2

United States Patent "ice 3,034,264 WALL-TYPE KNEE SHARPENER Archie J. McMaster, Bannoekhurn, 111., assignor'to G-M Laboratories Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of'lllinois Filed Mar. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 796,630 6 Claims. (Cl. 51-102) This invention relates generally to knife-Sharpeners and more particularly to a knife-sharpener which is adapted for wall-mounting.

A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved knife-sharpener.

Another object of the invention is to provide a knifesharp'ener which may be mounted flush in a wall.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a knife-sharpener which is arranged to utilize otherwise waste space in the kitchen.

A further object of the invention is to provide a knifesharpener which permits the free use of both hands for manipulating the knifeduring sharpening.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a knife-sharpener which is arranged to encourage keeping knives sharp.

Additional objects and features of the invention pertain to the particular structures and arrangements whereby the above objects are attained. 1

The invention, both to its structure and mode of op eration, will be better understood by reference to the following disclosure and drawings forming a part thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a knife-sharpener in accordance with the invention which is shown closed and which is adapted to be surface-mounted to a wall;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view through the section 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the open position in dotted outline;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a knife-sharpener in accordance with the invention which is shown open and which is adapted to be flush-mounted in a wall;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view through the section 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the closed position in dotted outline;

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the sharpening apparatus, some of the elements being shown in invisible outline;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view in section of a flushmounted knife-sharpener showing counterb alancing means and shock absorbing means;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the knife-sharpener of FIG. 6 shown with the cover in open position;

FIG. 8 is an elevational View through the section 8-8 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a view through the section 99 of FIG. 8.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1

and 2 includes a case or fixture 19 which is adapted to be surface-mounted to a vertical wall 12 by screws, toggle bolts or other suitable means. A drop cord 14 depends from the case It for purposes of making connection with an electrical outlet in order to provide power to the knifesharpening apparatus which will be described hereinafter.

According to a feature of the invention, the case is mounted to the wall 12 above a horizontal surface such as the countertop 16. In such arrangement, the countertop 16 supports and provides a restvfor the cover 18 when the cover is swung away from the case into the open position indicated in the dotted outlines 20. Conveniently, cover 18 is swingably mounted to the case 10 as by means of hinges 22.

Furthermore, case 11) may advantageously be mounted to the wall 12 beneath a cabinet 24 or other like structure in order to utilize what would otherwise be waste space on the wall 12.

Preferably, case 10 includes an upper rack 26 and a lower rack 27 in order to provide a tray for the cutlery utensils 28. By such means, the present invention en- 3,634,264 Patented Niel 15, 1962 courages keeping knives sharp because, whenever a knife is removed from or replaced in the racks 26 and 27, the sharpening -apparatus .30is exposed to suggest that at least a few strokes of the knife be made-on the sharpener wheel.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the knife-sharpener apparatus 30 includesa drive motor 32, an abrasive Wheel 34- afiixed to the rotor shaft of motor 32, and guides 36 for properly positioning a knife'blade 38 with respect to the wheel 34. Motor 32 is adapted to be operated by aswitch 46; and according to an important feature of the invention,'switch 40 is actuated by means of the post 42 which is mounted to the projection 44.

Advantageously, the projection 44 is'resiliently mounted to the forward edge of the cover 18 so that engagement between countertop 16 and the cover 18 may apply force to the projection 44 and close the switch 40 through post 42.. Such arrangement permits free use of both hands for manipulating the knife during sharpening; and it is realized that projection 44 may be further arranged to actuate switch 40 only when a mild supplemental pressure, as 'it would be experienced during the sharpening of aknife, is applied.

It will be observed that the rotor shaft of motor 32 is disposed parallel with the pivot axis of hinge 22 in order to provide a conveniently arranged knife-sharpener assembly.

Turning now to the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein like elements havebeen designated by like numerals, a case 10:: is adapted to be flush-mounted in the recess 46 which is provided in wall 12. In this instance, case 10a is adapted to receive electrical power through the conduit 48 which is suitably affixed thereto.

.Advantageously, cover 18 may .be held in closed position' against the case 1911, .or the case .10, .by means of magnetic buttons 50 which are attracted to iron cores 52, or in any other suitable manner.

In order to prevent damage to the sharpening ap-' paratus 30a or the countertop 16 in the event of accidental dropping of the tray 13 to the countertop, means may be provided for counterbalancing all or part of the weight the cover 18a and the sharpening apparatus 30a. In addition, means may be provided, either alone or in conjunction with counterbalancing, for absorbing the shock encountered when the cover 18a engages the countertop 16.

The means for counterbalancing the cover are shown in FIGS. 6-9 and include a compression spring which is secured to the case 10a at the upper rack 26. The free end of spring 60 passes through a hole 62 in the lower 'rack 27 and has afiixed thereto a plate 64 by which it is over the pulley 68 and has its otherwise free end aflixed to the cover 18a in some suitable manner.

The constant of spring 60 may be selected so that tray 18a may ease into engagement with countertop '16. When cover 18a is lowered from the closed position shown in FIG. 6 to the open position shown in FIG. 8, such movement is transmitted to the compression spring 60 by means of the link 66 whereby compression of the spring 60 resists the gravitational forces attracting the cover 18a and the sharpening apparatus 30. When the cover 184 israised into the closed position, the forces on spring 60 are released allowing the spring to re-extend through thehole 62.

Thus, cover 118a may be adapted to fall to the countertop 16 with very little force, if inadvertently released; or the cover may be over-balanced in order to bias it into its raised or closed position.

The means for absorbing the shock encountered when cover 118a engages the countertop 16 may be comprised of an air dashpot shown generally at 79. Dash-pot 70 may advantageously include a cylinder 72 and a spring 74 7 ed button 80.

When the knife sharpener of the invention is constructed with a dashpot 70, switch 40 may be operated by means of a simple plunger arrangement 82; and in such instance, the dashpot 70 may be arranged to absorb substantially all of the force associated with engagement of the cover 18a and the countertop 16 before the plunger arrangement 82 closes the switch 40 to operate motor 32.

The mode of operation of the knife sharpener of the invention will be apparent from the above descriptions.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since many modifications may be made; and it is, therefore, contemplated to cover by the appended claims any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A knife sharpener adapted for mounting on a vertical surface as a kitchen appliance, and comprising a generally rectangular oabinet having kni-fe holding means therein arranged for releasably holding a plurality of knives substantially parallel to the back wall of the cabinet, a cover hinged to said cabinet for movement between a substantially horizontal open position and a substantially vertical position'closing the cabinet, and coupled electric motor means and abrasive knife sharpening wheel mount ed interiorly of said cover for movement therewith between theclosed position with the motor and abrasive wheel housed and the open position with the abrasive wheel exposed,v the axis of rotation of said abrasive wheel being disposed substantially horizontally and extending substantially parallel to the back wall of the cabinet when 7 open position such that the abrasive wheel is spaced outwardly from the cabinet and in front of the knife holding means requiring one to reach over and beyond the abrasive Wheel to obtain a knife from said knife holding means and is located a suflicient distance outwardly from the cabinet to permit a knife to be positioned substantially horizontally and in contact with the abrasive wheel with the cover is in open position, said abrasive wheel being positioned relative to thecover when the cover is in the point thereof disposed adjacent the cabinet and the knife clear of any obstructions to free horizontal movement thereof outwardly in cont-act with the abrasive wheel.

2. A knife sharpener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axis of the knife sharpening wheel is disposed parallel to the hinge axis of the cover.

3. A knife sharpener as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided a switch carried by the cover in position for engagement with a fixed surface for operating the electric motor means.

4. A knife sharpener as claimed in claim 3, wherein said switch is operable by pressure in urging the knife against the knife sharpening wheel.

5. A knife sharpener as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided counter-balancing means including a compression spring and flexible link arranged to oppose swinging of the cover away from the cabinet.

6. A knife sharpener as'claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided shock absorbing means carried by the cover for engagement with a fixed surface to cushion opening movement of the cover. 

